WWE Extreme Rules 2020: Drew McIntyre needs to face someone else, too
Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler at WWE Extreme Rules 2020 can’t be the match, right?
In July 2020 after doing absolutely nothing for the better part of a year, Dolph Ziggler will have a world title match at WWE Extreme Rules 2020 against former tag team partner Drew McIntyre. He didn’t earn the match either. No, no, Ziggler, whom McIntyre literally called entitled in the same segment, walked right up and just asked for it.
Sometimes, it makes sense when a wrestler asks for a title match, because it’s sometimes obvious that they are the best challenger for that title and have done enough to merit a title opportunity. Like you know, that time Roman Reigns challenged Bill Goldberg for the Universal Championship he never lost.
But Ziggler hasn’t done anything to earn a title shot. In fact, he hasn’t been on Raw in quite some time. He was traded to Raw alongside Robert Roode for Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles, so maybe Vince McMahon is trying to put Ziggler in a world title match to make this laughable trade look somewhat less lopsided.
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Despite my misgivings, there are some positives to Ziggler and McIntyre on the opposite side of a world title match. Both men know each other really well, have no shortage of past history to work with, and can GO in the ring.
McIntyre is operating at the highest level of his career and has been a joy to watch, and a motivated Ziggler is like a motivated Randy Orton: rare but highly impressive.
The problem is that Ziggler vs. McIntyre doesn’t feel like a big enough deal for the WWE Title, especially after McIntyre faced two of the top stars on Raw in Seth Rollins and Bobby Lashley.
Those are the types of competitors McIntyre needs to be facing, not someone whom fans have no reason to take seriously until he is suddenly put in a world title match when it is convenient for the people booking the show (or when they are flat-out dry on ideas).
Ziggler can work in this match, but there needs to be a third man to add some star power and a level of intrigue that takes it beyond, “Here’s a rivalry we didn’t quite get right a couple of years ago…”
It’s hard to find who else could be in the match, though. Angel Garza and Andrade are options. Lashley could get a rematch, but it seems like, thanks to MVP, he’ll be going after the United States Championship. Maybe someone from Seth Rollins’ stable could be a surprise heel challenger for McIntyre?
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I can see why WWE felt like Ziggler would be their best option here, but the best option would be Ziggler plus someone else, perhaps a lesser name to give them an opportunity to compete in a big Pay Per View match against a champion at the top of his game. Garza comes to mind. His win-loss record is lacking, but his talent and performances in 2020 are superior to Ziggler’s, if that’s the apt comparison here.